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We are the soul of a newspaper. Not just any newspaper. We are the soul of the Toronto Sun from back in the day when it was the tabloid everyone in Toronto talked about. We are the people who helped make it happen. Sadly, most of us are long gone from the Sun. Many are now deceased. But when we were all a part of the Sun, as it was, it was a vibrant, kick ass paper that captured the impossible dream.

Wednesday, 26 October 2011

Finally getting a chance to jot down some thoughts about my time in the Sun.

I went to high school with Scott Stevenson and Kathy Vey. Kathy, who was on the rim at the time, was instrumental in getting Scotty his first job in the newsroom working the night copy shift.

Scott eventually moved over to the day shift and, in August,1986, he asked me if I wanted to fill-in for him while he was on vacation for a couple of weeks.

While I was going to Humber College for their certificate course in radio broadcasting (after I got my degree from U of T), I kept on working at the Sun part-time doing a bunch of different things. Mainly working the afternoon shift phones on the city desk, quite the education itself, Saturdays in the library, briefly, and one overnight security shift.

Also, I filled-in for Vena Eaton in lifestyle when she was away and for Marilynn Figueroa, keeping the crazies away from Les Pyette, while she was on vacation.

Lester took pity on me and gave me a big raise to stick around while I was looking for a radio job, which never materialized.

In January 1988, Hugh Wesley took over as director of photography and wanted an assistant. I was hired part-time/full-time until Nov. 1, 1989, when I was hired on full-time.

I worked in the photo department for more than a few different photo editors and there I stayed until I was part of the 600 on that black day in December 2008.

Funny story, on the day they told us of our impending redundancy, I heard this song on the radio on the way into work: Get A Job, by The Silhouettes.

I like to think that I came into the Sun during the last of the really great years. A couple of highlights included a trip to Washington D.C. for the opening of the Picture Toronto exhibit at the Canadian Embassy.

And renting a corporate jet to take photogs Mike Cassese, Mark O'Neill and Paul Henry with reporters Michele Mandel and Mark Stewart as well as myself - there was a spare seat - to Wrestlemania in Atlantic City, N.J., to bring back film and stories for deadline. Circulation was up 40,000 copies the next day.

However, It was always the way staffers would pull together to cover tragic events,such as 9/11, that always made me proud of where I worked and of my own minor role in it.

What I loved about the job was it was different every single day. For 23 years, I was privileged to work with some of the best photographers, reporters, columnists, deskers and support staffers in the business. It wasn't always easy, but there was never a dull moment.

It's the many, many wonderful people I worked with over the years that I miss the most. The fun Sun parties of old; Editorial; the Edward Dunlop Awards and, of course, the great 20th anniversary party in the former SkyDome.

Thank you Doug Creighton.

I think, though, it was the after work nights on the tiles at Crooks and Betty's that fostered a lot of the comradeship, not only with editorial, but with all staffers at the Sun.

As the 40th anniversary approaches, I find myself still searching for vacant situation, reminiscing about 'the good old days' and wondering what will ultimately become of The Little Paper That Grew.

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The Toronto Sun Family: 1971 - 2016

Current and former Sun Media employees, this blog is for you. We'd like to hear your feelings about the Sun, pro or con, your experiences and if no longer with Sun Media, what you are doing today. There is no "I" in Toronto Sun Family. Just "we."